Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Frosty Yojeanette’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Frosty Yojeanette’, characterized by its upright and rounded plant habit; freely branching habit; dense and full plants; uniform and freely flowering habit; medium-sized daisy-type inflorescences with elongated oblong-shaped ray florets; white-colored ray florets; and natural season flowering in early October in the Northern Hemisphere.

Botanical designation: Chrysanthemum×morifolium.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Frosty Yojeanette’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofChrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemum×morifolium,commercially known as a garden-type Chrysanthemum and hereinafterreferred to by the name ‘Frosty Yojeanette’.

The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventor. The objective of the breeding program is to create newgarden-type Chrysanthemum cultivars having inflorescences with desirableinflorescence forms, attractive floret colors and good gardenperformance.

The new Chrysanthemum is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation ofthe Chrysanthemum×morifolium cultivar Sweet Yojeanette, disclosed inU.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,212. The new Chrysanthemum was discovered andselected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within apopulation of plants of the cultivar Sweet Yojeanette in a controlledenvironment in Monroeville, N.J. in October, 2003. The selection of thisplant was based on its desirable inflorescence form, attractive rayfloret color and good garden performance.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal vegetative cuttingsin a controlled environment in Smoketown, Pa. since December, 2003, hasshown that the unique features of this new Chrysanthemum are stable andreproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Frosty Yojeanette has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, daylength and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Frosty Yojeanette’. Thesecharacteristics in combination distinguish ‘Frosty Yojeanette’ as a newand distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Upright and rounded plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit; dense and full plants.    -   3. Uniform and freely flowering habit.    -   4. Medium-sized daisy-type inflorescences with elongated        oblong-shaped ray florets.    -   5. White-colored ray florets.    -   6. Natural season flowering in early October in the Northern        Hemisphere.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Alva, Fla., plants of the newChrysanthemum differed from plants of the parent, the cultivar SweetYojeanette, primarily in ray floret coloration as ray florets of plantsof the new Chrysanthemum did not “pink” under cool climatic conditionswhereas ray florets of plants of the cultivar Sweet Yojeanette did“pink” under cool climatic conditions. In addition, plants of the newChrysanthemum were slightly shorter and flowered one or two days laterthan plants of the cultivar Sweet Yojeanette when grown under artificialdaylength conditions.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of theChrysanthemum cultivar Shepherd, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.13,371. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Alva, Fla., plants ofthe new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of the cultivar Shepherd inthe following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were larger than plants of        the cultivar Shepherd.    -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had smaller inflorescence        discs than plants of the cultivar Shepherd.    -   3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flowered more uniformly than        plants of the cultivar Shepherd.    -   4. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum flowered about five days        later than plants of the cultivar Shepherd.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can also be compared to plants of theChrysanthemum cultivar Angelina, not patented. In side-by-sidecomparisons conducted in Alva, Fla., plants of the new Chrysanthemumdiffered from plants of the cultivar Angelina in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum were larger than plants of        the cultivar Angelina.    -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum had larger inflorescences        than plants of the cultivar Angelina.    -   3. Inflorescences of plants of the new Chrysanthemum were longer        lasting than inflorescences of plants of the cultivar Angelina.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of thenew Chrysanthemum. These photographs show the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe colors of the new Chrysanthemum.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Frosty Yojeanette’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet comprises a close-up view of typicalinflorescences of the cultivar ‘Frosty Yojeanette’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The followingobservations and measurements describe plants grown in Leamington,Ontario, Canada during the summer in a glass-covered greenhouse andunder conditions and practices which approximate those generally used incommercial garden-type Chrysanthemum production. Rooted cuttings wereplanted in 15.25-cm containers, grown under artificial long dayconditions (four-hour night interruption) and pinched about ten dayslater. About ten days after the pinch, plants were then exposed toartificial short day conditions (11.5 hours light) until flowering.During the production of the plants, temperatures ranged from 18° C. to38° C. Measurements and numerical values represent averages for typicalflowering plants.

-   Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum×morifolium cultivar Frosty    Yojeanette.-   Commercial classification: Daisy-type garden Chrysanthemum.-   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of the    Chrysanthemum×morifolium cultivar Sweet Yojeanette, disclosed in    U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 10/764,880.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About four days at 21° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—About ten to twelve days            at 21° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form/growth habit.—Perennial herbaceous daisy-type            garden Chrysanthemum. Inverted triangle with mounded crown.            Stems initially upright, then somewhat outwardly spreading;            rounded growth habit. Freely branching with about seven            primary branches with secondary lateral branches potentially            forming at every node. Moderately vigorous.        -   Plant height.—About 20.5 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 28 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 17 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.            Internode length: About 1.3 cm. Aspect: Upright and somewhat            outwardly spreading. Texture: Pubescent. Color: 144A.        -   Foliage description.—Leaf arrangement: Alternate. Length:            About 3 cm. Width: About 2.4 cm. Apex: Cuspidate. Base:            Mostly truncate with attenuate tendencies. Margin: Palmately            lobed, sinuses parallel to divergent. Texture, upper            surface: Slightly pubescent. Texture, lower surface:            Pubescent; veins prominent. Color: Developing and fully            expanded foliage, upper surface: More green than 147A.            Developing and fully expanded foliage, lower surface: Close            to 147B. Venation, upper surface: More green than 147A.            Venation, lower surface: Close to 147B. Petiole length:            About 1 cm. Petiole diameter: About 2 mm. Petiole color,            upper and lower surfaces: Close to 147B.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Appearance.—Daisy-type inflorescence form with elongated            oblong-shaped ray florets. Inflorescences borne on terminals            above foliage, arising from leaf axils. Ray florets            developing acropetally on a capitulum. Freely flowering            habit with about nine inflorescences per secondary lateral            branch.        -   Flowering response.—Under natural season conditions, plants            flower in early October in the Northern Hemisphere.        -   Inflorescence bud (before showing color).—Height: About            5 mm. Diameter: About 6 mm. Shape: Oblate. Color (lower            surface of phyllaries): Close to 146A to more green than            147A.        -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 3.3 cm. Depth (height):            About 1.2 cm. Disc diameter: About 7 mm. Receptacle            diameter: About 4 mm.        -   Ray florets.—Shape: Elongated oblong-shaped. Length: About            1.6 cm. Width: About 5 mm. Corolla tube length: About 3 mm.            Corolla tube diameter: About 1.5 mm. Apex: Acute, emarginate            or rounded. Margin: Fused. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; satiny. Orientation: Initially            upright, then about 80° from vertical. Number of ray florets            per inflorescence: About 22 in a single whorl. Color: When            opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 155D. When            opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 155D.        -   Disc florets.—Shape: Tubular, elongated. Length: About 3 mm.            Width, apex: About 1 mm. Width, base: About 1 mm. Number of            disc florets per inflorescence: About 68. Color: Immature:            Close to 9A. Mature: Apex: Close to 9A. Mid-section: Close            to 154D. Base: Close to 155D.        -   Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 18. Length:            About 4 mm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape: Ligulate. Apex: Acute.            Base: Truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper surface:            Smooth, waxy. Texture, lower surface: Pubescent. Color,            upper surface: Close to 146A. Color, lower surface: Close to            146A to more green than 147A.        -   Peduncle.—Length: First peduncle: About 2.4 cm. Fourth            peduncle: About 3.3 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Strength:            Strong. Aspect: About 40° from vertical. Texture: Pubescent.            Color: Close to 144A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets            only. Anther length: Less than 1 mm. Anther color: Close to            12A. Amount of pollen: None observed. Gynoecium: Present on            both ray and disc florets. Style length: About 3 mm. Style            color: Close to 154A. Stigma color: Close to 9A.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have not    been shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Chrysanthemums.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have been    observed to be tolerant to rain, wind and temperatures ranging from    0° C. to more than 38° C.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant named ‘FrostyYojeanette’, as illustrated and described.